Talk:Menachem Begin
The PM of Israel isn't head of state? Who is? Turtle Fan 17:47, 4 January 2009 (UTC) :The President of Israel. But that office is about as useful as tits on a bull. TR 17:49, 4 January 2009 (UTC) ::And those are not useful at all. ::There is something to be said for seperating the ceremonial office from the executive, I'm coming to believe. When they're conflated, when the head of state is just another politician, the vagaries of his popularity in public opinion have an inordinate effect on respect for the nation in general. Turtle Fan 17:57, 4 January 2009 (UTC) :::I'm find myself more in the opposite direction--if you are going to manufacture an office that is exclusively ceremonial, why have the office? TR 17:59, 4 January 2009 (UTC) ::::An investiture of power representing the Nation that is above the fray of partisan politics. ::::Of course, in places like Israel, Germany, France et cetera where they do this, the President is just another politician himself. Where it's done well is in monarchies like Britain and Japan (but damned if we'll have a monarch in America!) and theocracies like Iran (doubly so there!) In a democracy you'd need to find either just another politician or some apolitical hero whom all the citizens can respect as an exemplar of what we should all be, and thus someone who can speak to our rulers on our behalf. That would be very hard to do. In America, it would probably end up being some dopey celebrity who would just make the whole system look dumb. Probably not workable, but I do like the idea. Turtle Fan 18:07, 4 January 2009 (UTC) :::::The suggestion you make on the ceremonial head of state of the US seems to be akin to what is done in Canada with the Governor-General. S/he is appointed by the Queen as her representative for a fix five year period on the recommendation of the PM (really, appointed by the PM but HRH has her prerogatives). Usually its a respected, non-partisan Canadian. The current one, Michaëlle Jean, is a babe to boot. ;) ML4E 02:28, 5 January 2009 (UTC) ::::::What's her background? :::::::Haitian immigrant as a child. ML4E 04:11, 5 January 2009 (UTC) ::::::::And she got the governorship based solely on that? Turtle Fan 04:18, 5 January 2009 (UTC) :::::::Well, no. She was a newscaster for Radio-Canada, the French arm of the CBC and active in Quebec culture and charity work. Since her predecessor was an Anglo vis-min, it was time for a Franco vis-min. ML4E 04:32, 5 January 2009 (UTC) ::::::::Ah. That's what I meant by her background. Turtle Fan 05:24, 5 January 2009 (UTC) ::::::A babe as Governor-General--I'll have to take your word for it. Well I could look her up, maybe later. I wouldn't've thought to find one there. Turtle Fan 04:04, 5 January 2009 (UTC) :::::::Well worth a look. Bear in mind she would be a MILF, given her age. ML4E 04:11, 5 January 2009 (UTC) ::::::::You're right, she is kinda purty. Seems like a solid choice, the sort of person the country can rally around. Turtle Fan 13:18, 5 January 2009 (UTC) Begin error? Since Beign arrived into Palestine with Anders' army in 1942, and it seems unlikely that Anders' army is in Palestine at all in Worldwar timeline, isn't his appearance another blunder on part of Turtledove? -szopen :He arrived in May, 1942, and the Race launched their invasion in June. So he was already there. :Additionally, Begin's scenes are set in 1944; arguably, at that point, Turtledove could pretty much have Begin wherever he felt like having Begin. :I see no blunder here. TR (talk) 16:20, March 4, 2013 (UTC) The Editorial note I just noticed the editorial note exists. I'm not certain that it has any value, as it's pure speculation, and quite a bit of bloviating given how little Begin actually appears in StB. We don't have notes on other characters theorizing as to why they appeared only WW; Leslie Groves is a POV in the entire WW series, but isn't even mentioned in Col. It doesn't follow that we should have a paragraph explaining how we think he died of cancer thanks to the plutonium he carried on his back across the the country. TR (talk) 22:32, May 21, 2015 (UTC) :You're right. That's gotta go. Turtle Fan (talk) 03:05, May 22, 2015 (UTC) :Not having read the series and so not paid close attention to the articles, I really shouldn't have an informed opinion but based on other articles I have followed closely, this seems reasonable. ML4E (talk) 15:45, May 23, 2015 (UTC) Thoughts on Begin This is another historical figure with whom HT could do a lot more. His role in Striking the Balance was good for its brevity. Begin could make a great POV. The State of Jefferson Stories have so far been set during his Prime Ministry, so there's a chance he could appear or at least be significantly referenced in there if the series continues.JonathanMarkoff (talk) 23:28, June 20, 2016 (UTC) :I guess, but that would be a pretty out-of-left-field reference. No more so than some of the others, though, I suppose. Turtle Fan (talk) 23:58, June 20, 2016 (UTC) Alternate Nationality? I don't think he has an alternate nationality in WW.JonathanMarkoff (talk) 05:33, November 20, 2017 (UTC) :Alternate in the sense that Israel never came into existence in the WW timeline and so he never became an Israeli. ML4E (talk) 23:29, November 20, 2017 (UTC) ::I don't think that is considered alt-nat for our purposes. He disappears from the series after 1944 anyway.JonathanMarkoff (talk) 23:31, November 20, 2017 (UTC) :::I guess the fact that he vanishes is persuasive....TR (talk) 00:10, November 21, 2017 (UTC)